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Reiner Haseloff is a calm man, so far he has not noticed any rebellious impulse. As Prime Minister, he has ruled Saxony-Anhalt for almost ten years. From time to time, your regional CDU association reports because major forces are joining the AfD. Even in its Kenyan coalition with the SPD and the Greens, it has often crashed. But Haseloff, the welcoming Catholic, was never considered the driver of the conflicts. But as a moderating and balancing factor in the party and in its cabinet.
But it has been different for a few months. Haseloff is taking a stand against the other prime ministers and Chancellor Angela Merkel, especially with the Corona regulations. Will Haseloff become a rebel in his old age?
The most recent example: during the meeting between the Chancellor and the Prime Minister on Thursday, there was an open discussion. Saxony-Anhalt is now the only federal state that does not impose a minimum fine of 50 euros for violations of the mask requirement. This is noted in a protocol note, Haseloff insisted.
When he reported that he was not satisfied with the formulation of the resolution, the Chancellor indicated in the video link that he had misunderstood something. “But Reiner, you can still speak German,” he said aloud to those present. “And you are chancellor and you are even more powerful in the German language than a mere prime minister,” Haseloff is said to have replied.
On the ZDF show “Markus Lanz”, the 66-year-old then spoke of a “wink sequence.” Saxony-Anhalt has a low number of infections, a tightening of the measures cannot be communicated to the population, it can hardly justify a tightening before the citizens or the courts. The fine is a “marginal note.” Anyway, there are already fines.
Saxony-Anhalt wants to allow large events with more than 1000 participants to take place again as soon as possible, assuming a good concept of hygiene. Haseloff mentioned trade fairs, Christmas and Advent markets, as well as cultural and sporting events as examples.
Fight against the AfD
The fact that Haseloff is a rebel is likely due to the state elections in June 2021. Originally, the interior minister and CDU head of country, Holger Stahlknecht, was supposed to take over the top nomination, a wish that announced publicly months ago. But last year Stahlknecht allowed himself too many setbacks and mistakes, he no longer has the party behind him.
Now the question is whether Haseloff will just run himself again. For years, according to reports from his circle, he did not feel the father of the country and was in the shadow of his predecessor Wolfgang Böhmer, who made him the physicist and former director of the employment office, Minister of Economy in 2006. While So much, however, Haseloff appears to have befriended his role, it is said, and the party leadership in Berlin also indicated that they would like to see him continue in office.
Thus, there are many indications that Haseloff will simply run again and therefore now take on the role of the country’s rebellious father for the election campaign. This, as far as the possible calculation goes, appeases the right wing of the CDU. And at the same time he has something to oppose the AfD, which wants to maintain its position in the state parliament.
On the other hand, Haseloff has shown less and less consideration for his coalition counterparts and partners for months. Already in May it had caused conflicts because it was the first to relax contact restrictions in the country. The Mayor of Berlin, Michael Müller (SPD), called this “annoying”, while the Interior Minister of Rhineland-Palatinate, Roger Lewentz (SPD), called it “strange”.
And Haseloff isn’t just getting unpopular with other prime ministers when it comes to Corona’s measures. Two state treaties are on the brink of Magdeburg resistance. One is about the new rules for gambling. The increase in the license fee is even more explosive. That should increase from € 17.50 to € 18.36.
Haseloff had already abstained from this in a conference with the Prime Minister and wrote indignant letters to the mayors. “It is difficult to convey why directors like Mr. Buhrow have to earn much more than the federal president,” he provoked in an interview with “Zeit im Osten”.
After there were guarantees for new public service locations in Saxony-Anhalt, Haseloff finally signed the State Treaty. However, all 16 state parliaments must ratify the treaty. The CDU parliamentary group in Magdeburg has announced that it will not agree. She recently confirmed this point of view when she was upset by a satirical video on the youth portal “Funk”. Since the left and AfD in Saxony-Anhalt are against the increase, the CDU would have a majority for rejection in parliament.
Premature end of the coalition?
In Magdeburg it is said that Haseloff first incited his party with the rebel line and is now no longer able to capture him. Saxony-Anhalt could end up being a blocker. “If the CDU and the AfD vote against the increase in the contribution in the state parliament, a red line would be crossed for us. That would be the end of the coalition,” said the parliamentary manager of the state parliamentary group SPD, Rüdiger Erben, of the SPIEGEL.
“The CDU in Saxony-Anhalt should think carefully whether to jump on the bandwagon and withhold funds from public broadcasters because the program does not suit them,” the leader of the Green parliamentary group Cornelia Lüddemann told SPIEGEL. Otherwise, a “government crisis” threatens.
Haseloff is unlikely to have an interest in the coalition breaking out before the regular end of the legislative term. If he was the boss like the one who couldn’t hold the place together. At some point in the next few weeks, the cabinet is expected to make a recommendation for a resolution on transmission rates. So it remains to be seen whether Haseloff will put an end to his rebel phase for now.
